Books in the digital age – Bookfighting

In 2005, the French made the news all over the world when they installed book-vending machines in the streets of Paris. A few years later, they are literally throwing books at each other’s heads.

Yves Durathon/Labomedia, Bookfighting, 2009. Photo Luce Moreau

Yves Durathon/Labomedia, Bookfighting, 2009. Photo Luce Moreau

Yves Durathon/Labomedia, Bookfighting, 2009. Photo Luce Moreau

One of the performances i was really annoyed to miss was Yves Durathon‘sbookfighting. The concept, rules and spirit are embedded into the title. Wearing protective gear and following strict rules, the fighters pick up pocket books from a heap and use them as projectiles for combats. Bookfighting started as a performance and has grown into a practice mixing combat sports and culture.

With this sport, Durathon wanted to celebrate the passage from paper culture to digital culture. Books, as we know them, are already objects from the past and the new combat sport is probably the only remaining mode to enjoy them in a lively, joyful way.

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About this blog

This is the blog for the A Level Media Studies course offered by Cambridge International Examinations at Transylvania College. More info on the course here: Media Studies CIE

This blog is managed by the teacher who posts relevant research topics and resources for students. You are free to take anything you want and use the ideas shared here.

Please visit also the students’ blogs, to see what kind of work they have to do for Media Studies at A Level.

Transylvania College is the ony Cambridge accredited school in Romania offering a complete educational track, from nursery through high school. Our school has been chosen by families from around the world, we have students from 26 countries.